Wendell Barnhouse
One by one, watch this vintage B-24 Liberator crank up its four engines.
The folks who work long hours as volunteers to restore World War II aircraft so that they’re able to fly – they deserve our support and thanks.
The Greatest Generation flew these aircraft to help the Allies win in both the European and Pacific theaters. Allowing people to see these planes up close and personal and see them flying is a goose bump experience. (And if it doesn’t produce goose bumps – call 911; you might require a defibrillator.)
The four-engine bombers utilized by the United States – the B-17 Flying Fortress, the B-24 Liberator and the B-29 Superfortress – are especially impressive when they crank up their engines. In this case, the B-24 named the Witchcraft, which is maintained by the Collings Foundation’s.
The typical B-24 was equipped with four Pratt & Whitney turbo-supercharged radial engines,
The B-17 was popular with the crews that flew it. The B-24, not so much. It wasn’t an easy aircraft to fly. But it’s high-mounted wings helped give it long range and the ability to carry a heavy payload. It wound up being the most produced heavy bomber in history, the most produced multi-engine aircraft in history and the most-produced American military aircraft – nearly 20,000 rolled off the assembly line.
